The Legend of Zelda: Nightfall
by Game777Guy
Summary: Link is nothing more than a magic empowered blacksmith. However, when he goes to present a revolutionary new sword in the kingdom's festival, an ancient evil threatens the land. In order to resurrect the incarnation of his master, and with more power than ever, Ghirahim forces the three Zelda timelines together and breaks the Master Sword. What hope is there in this nightfall?
1. Dawn

Chapter 1: Dawn

He opened his eyes, looking around. He didn't understand what he saw. The place he was in was… strange. He could see a blue sky overhead, filled with wisps of clouds. How he hated the sight. The fact that humans could consider that beautiful completely revolted him. He would never understand that weak species.

He stood. He saw that the ground that he was standing on was not really ground at all. It was liquid, and reflected the pristine sky. It stretched as far as he could see. It revolted him. He needed to find a way out. But how? He didn't even know where he was; or even who he was.

He sat and thought. He looked at his reflection, to see if that would give him any ideas. He studied it closely. He saw a man whose skin was pale white. His hair was much the same, and nearly covered one of his eyes. His eyes were evil looking, a nice reflection of who he was. There were dark circles under those eyes.

Slowly, it came back to him. He remembered his battle against that green-clad rat. He remembered his thrill of success when his spell transfused the soul of the goddess into his master. He remembered Demise calling forth the sword that was within him. After that though, he couldn't remember anything.

He stood and began cackling. It soon turned into a hysterical laugh. It was impossible, but it had happened. That wretch had beaten the great demon king. He couldn't believe it. But the boy had failed in the end. He'd overlooked one critical detail.

"I am Ghirahim!" he yelled to no one in particular. With him revived, the world would belong to his master, even if his master was dead. However, the first order of business was finding a way out of that horrid realm.

* * *

Thousands of Years Later, in the Downfall Timeline

Link awoke with a feeling of excitement. Today was the big day. He'd finally get to show his masterpiece. He moved downstairs to the forge. He looked at all his equipment. His hammer and anvil were worn from use, but it was worth it. He went over to his shelf of swords. He pulled the one that had the most elaborate sheath.

It was inscribed with the symbols of Hyrule. The winged Triforce was emblazoned near the hilt. The handle was made of the finest oak he could find, and reinforced with the highest quality steel he was capable of creating. He drew the sword. The silvery spine glistened in the low light. The edge had a near-white glow to it, giving it the impression of being made of something entirely different; which, of course, it was.

He looked at it in pride. All the magic, time and effort he'd poured into that blade had paid off. It wasn't an ordinary sword, after all. The cutting edges were made of diamond-steel, a creation made especially by him. His father was extremely jealous that Link had come up with something so clever. Of course, it had taken him darn near five years to get the material.

He sheathed the sword and went outside. The forge had been built on the edge of a forest. It was set on a hill that overlooked the forest one way, and Hyrule Castle Town on the other. The green fields looked beautiful as the just-risen sun reflected off the morning fog. The forest had a similar effect. He went to get Epona hitched up to the wagon. He placed his sword in the back. He hid it well, as it would not do for the sword to be stolen on the day of the festival.

He thought about the festival. It was only held once every ten years to celebrate the great hero's defeat of Ganondorf's forces and discovery of the third piece of the Triforce. Link was only seven when the last festival had been held. He remembered everyone having fun and making merry. The only condition was that everyone whom was capable of producing something bring a gift for the royal family. A lot of people used this to their advantage, as innovators would present the new things that they had made. The best ideas got funded and produced by the kingdom. He hoped his revolutionary new sword would get that honor.

"Excited, aren't you?" he heard a gruff voice say from behind.

Link turned and looked at his father. His father was old, and had long, gray hair and beard to match. Despite his age, he was still an incredibly strong and talented man. If it wasn't for the magic and blacksmithing skills Link had learned from his father, he would never have been able to create his sword.

"Of course I'm excited," Link replied in his masculine voce. "I've been looking forward to this festival since I was twelve."

"That's when you started working on your sword, am I right?"

Link just smiled. He couldn't believe that it really had been five years since he got the idea.

"Well," his father said, "we can't just stand around here talking. We've got things to load up. I trust you hid that sword well?"

"Of course."

With that said and done, Link helped his father load up the cart. When it was all ready to go, they headed east to the town. Today was going to be a very important day. Link could feel it in his gut.

* * *

Ghirahim looked around. He was in a field of grass. Well, field wasn't exactly the way to put it. It was more like rolling green hills. He breathed the free air for the first time since before he'd awoken so many years ago. He didn't waste any time admiring. Thousands of years of observing and planning were about to pay off in a big way. Today was going to be a very important day. He could feel it in his gut.

* * *

**A/N: This is my first fanfiction created solely by me. Dark Triad, believe it or not, was RonnyBravo's idea. Read, review and let me know what you think. Oh, and for those Zelda fans who aren't aware of what the "Downfall Timeline" bit means, look up a Zelda timeline on the Zelda wiki. I'd explain it here, but that usually winds up getting too complicated.  
**


	2. Arriving at the Festival

Chapter 2: Arriving at the Festival

The sun was just over the castle wall when Link and his father entered Hyrule Castle Town. The main street was busy. Everyone was bustling to and fro, trying to put together last minute preparations for the festival. Plus, there was a large stream of people coming from all over the kingdom to celebrate.

Link could never remember the castle town being this excited. Sure he had vague memories from the last festival, but nothing in them was clear. Now, everything was crystal clear. He could see the people moving about in excitement. He could hear the din of conversation as everyone talked in excitement. He could smell the aromas of all kinds of food being prepared. Today would certainly be a day to remember.

"Remember, Link," his father whispered into his ear. "We're here to celebrate, not to gorge ourselves on whatever people are selling here."

"I know that," he replied. "But still, is it really that wrong to let ourselves go just a little bit?"

His father thought as they approached the palace gate. "I suppose not," the old man said at last. "Well, if that's the case, here." Link's father held out a bagful of rupees. "Enjoy yourself, but don't get anything too stupid."

"Now, Father, when have I been known to buy stupid things?" Link replied. "You know that you can trust me."

"One can only hope. Sometimes it's difficult for a parent to trust a teenager."

"Ha, ha," Link replied sarcastically, but with a good nature.

They passed into the courtyard. It was a truly beautiful sight. There were four paths that met in the center. Between each of the paths was a nice grassy area. As one got closer to the walls, there were gardens of flowers and trees. In the very center of the courtyard was a fountain that had a statue of the three goddesses floating around the Hylian Crest (the winged Triforce). Each of the goddesses released a fountain of water from their mouths.

The courtyard was full of people setting up the public dancing area. There were also people moving in and out of the main castle, obviously preparing the banquet. Link wondered what was in that castle. However, he put off that wonder, he'd find out soon enough.

"What are you doing still standing here?" his father asked. "Go, explore the town. Have a little fun. Given how hard you push yourself, you're at least entitled to that much."

Link smiled at his father. He turned and went back into the main town. He knew his father would get everything ready. Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw his father unhitching the cart and leading Epona to the royal stables. Being a former knight of the royal house, his father did have some privelages.

Link often wondered why his father gave up knighthood to take on blacksmithing and magic. True, magic wasn't exactly a common talent, but it wasn't anything too special, either. And blacksmithing, well, that was a peasant's job. However, Link didn't really care about that last bit. After all, that's the lifestyle his father had raised him in.

Link looked at the town in closer detail as he headed to the marketplace. The streets were made of high grade cobblestone. The buildings were all made of stone and rose quite high. The street layout was simple. The city was designed in a square with eight main roads, each leading to the palace. There were also multiple crossroads, and the larger intersections housed markets.

It was to one such market that Link was headed. He moved past the busy people and found a vendor selling something that smelled absolutely divine. He asked the person behind the counter what was sold there, and was told that it was bread rolls. They were 10 rupees for a bundle of five. Link happily handed the man the money and bit into one of the rolls. They tasted every bit as divine as they smelled. Though the rolls didn't last long, it was money well spent.

* * *

Ghirahim looked down at the marked from his hiding spot on the rooftop. True, all that stealth wasn't really necessary, as he could easily power his way into the castle, but that wouldn't have the kind of spectacle he wanted. No, he wanted his appearance to be grand, shocking, and wonderful all at once. He was the great Demon Lord Ghirahim, and no less was fitting for a being of his stature.

He teleported to the next rooftop, and the next, and the next. Each teleport drew him closer to the castle. He wanted to get into a good hiding position. He'd watch the humans make merry for a while. He'd let them get happy and feel secure. Then, when least expected, he'd drop in and take what he needed.

Oh, not only would today be important, it was going to be loads of fun. Ghirahim smiled in anticipation.

* * *

Link strolled along happily. He'd gotten a new tunic and was chewing on a pastry. He didn't quite know what the pastry was, but it tasted good, so it didn't really matter. He looked at the satchel of clothing in his hand. It was a costume designed after the great hero's attire. He had no idea why he bought it. He had no use for it, after all. True, he did bear the name of the great hero, but that wasn't reason enough. He'd just felt a compulsion to get it. Oh well, if he ever had kids, he was sure they'd enjoy it.

He didn't notice the girl coming at him, and she didn't notice him. Smack! Link stumbled backwards as the pastry slipped out of his hand and his costume dropped to the ground. He was able to save the pastry. Then he looked just a little further ahead at the girl he'd knocked down.

"I'm so sorry, miss," he said. "Here, let me help," he said as he stuck his hand out. The girl accepted it. She had stunning blond hair and beautiful blue eyes.

"It's all right," she said as she stood up. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Are you in a rush or something?" Link asked.

"No, I was just lost in thought."

Link looked at her. She was a stunning beauty, especially for a peasant. At least, the way she dressed suggested she was a peasant.

"So was I," Link went on. "How about I buy you something?"

"What, why?"

"It's the least I could do for knocking a pretty girl like you over."

"That's not necessary, it really was my fault."

"I still want to buy you something. After all, it was my fault, too."

The girl smiled at him. "Thank you."

As they walked towards the market, Link asked, "What's your name?"

She hesitated a moment. "Adlez," she finally said.

"That's an interesting name," Link replied. "My name's Link."

"Nice to meet you."

They walked to the market, chatting about nothing in particular. Link found that he liked this girl. She was very positive, yet polite. They made it to the stand where he'd bought that unusual pastry. He got one for her. She seemed a little hesitant to take it, but he said:

"It's good, trust me."

"Ok," she replied hesitantly. Her face lit up as she took a bite. Apparently she thought it was good as well. Link paid the man.

"Ok," he started. "I got you a pastry." His tone then shifted to exaggerated chivalry. "Is there anything else the lady desires?"

"No, thank you," she said. "The kindness you've shown has been more than enough. But, right now, I need to go back to what I was doing."

"Alright," Link stated. "It was nice to meet you, Adlez."

"It was nice to meet you, too, Link."

And with that, she was gone. Link hoped to meet her again. But if she had traveled to the city from a distance, the chances of that were slim. Oh, well, it was nice to meet someone new every now and then.

Link headed back to the palace, as the gift presentations would begin soon. He wanted to ensure that he was there to present his sword. The earlier he could present it, the better.

* * *

**A/N So we're getting a little more into the story here. If you didn't think this was too interesting, bear with me. The next two chapters will do more to advance the plot. Please leave a review. I appreciate hearing from readers.**


	3. The Palace

Chapter 3: The Palace

Link was completely awestruck by the palace. The grandeur was simply astounding. The entire main hall was made out of marble. Columns helped to support the high-vaulted ceiling. There were huge windows that looked out into the royal gardens. The floor was covered in a red carpet that led straight to the throne where the king and queen sat overlooking everything.

And there was certainly much to look over. Everyone was doing something. People were preparing their family gifts, each hoping that theirs would be recognized. Others were laying enormous amounts of food on extremely long tables that were on either side of the carpet. Nearly everyone in the castle town had contributed something to the banquet. Closer to the throne, there was a group of servants preparing the formal dance floor.

Everyone was dressed in the very best that they had. Link was no exception. He had pulled out all the stops for his appearance. He was wearing a nice jacket that had a subdued blue color. His pants matched. He was even wearing gloves. To complete his formal appearance, he'd even removed the earring that he'd taken to wearing a couple of years before.

A loud bell sounded the beginning of the festival as well as the gift presentations. It didn't take much time for the royal hall to fill with all those who wanted to present a gift. The room had the capacity to easily fit a thousand people, and a thousand people had indeed shown up. A herald of the king came forward.

"On behalf of the royal family, I welcome you all to the Festival of the Hero," he said. That drew applause. "We will now open the festivities with the presentation of the gifts for the royal household. But first, King Hilan will speak."

King Hilan stood up. He was a large man. His muscled tone and scar on his cheek told of the days when he was a warrior for his father before. Now he had grown old, and his hair was completely white. But that only made him look wise as well as strong.

"Welcome one and all," he said in his deep, booming voice. "I would like to thank you all for the effort you've shown in making this festival a success for the past 200 years. And this, being the 20th festival of the hero, is truly a special occasion. So, without further ado, let the presentations begin!"

The herald came back out. "First to present is the Andar family," he said.

Link watched in anticipation as each family was called to present their gift. Of course, not all families had to present a gift, but most did out of respect. Of course, the prospect of getting funding for an idea had a lot to do with families signing up. Link would have been lying if he said that wasn't what he hoped for.

Link looked at the competition. There were some truly impressive and innovative ideas. One family presented a water glass the size of a shoe that was capable of holding a gallon of water. Another family presented a cloak that would change its color and pattern to best compliment the wearer. Still another family presented armor that would repair itself given enough time.

_Just a few families left,_ Link thought.

"Will the members of the Sormith family come to present their gift."

_Here we go,_ Link thought.

His father went first. Link wasn't the only one who'd prepared a gift for this occasion. His father had been working hard on a project for the past few years. Link watched as his father stepped forward, carrying an object wrapped in cloth. He made in front of the throne and prepared to present his gift.

"My king," the old man said. "Today I present to you a shield; a shield which is based on a relic that is now lost." Link's father removed the cloth from his gift. It was a beautiful, ornate shield. It was small enough to be carried on one's back; yet large enough that could do its job effectively. It was rimmed in steel. The face of the shield had a blue background with a golden Triforce floating above a red winged crest.

_The legendary Hylian Shield,_ Link thought, astonished.

"I began work on this shield three years ago," his father said. "Not only does it have the appearance of the Hylian Shield, but this imitates its toughness as well. You would be hard pressed to find a blade that can pierce this shield."

"Thank you," the king said. "Now, I believe your son also has something he wishes to present, yes?"

"Indeed, your Majesty."

"Then let him come show it."

Link stepped forward, so excited he could barely hold it in. When he reached where his father had stood, Link removed the sword and scabbard from the cloth that concealed them.

"This is my gift," Link stated. He drew the blade, allowing it to glint in the light of the afternoon sun. "It is a sword unlike any before it. The spine is crafted from the highest quality steel that I can make. The cutting edge has been infused with the essence of diamond. I call it diamond-steel. It's honed to a razor edge that can cut stone, but it's so tough that it will survive battle after battle without ever losing its edge."

The king appeared genuinely impressed. "That is a masterful looking sword," he stated. "But surly you can back up such a bold claim."

Link just smiled. This was exactly what he'd been hoping for. He took a stone out of his pocket. It was round and about 6 inches in diameter. Link threw the stone into the air. As it returned to earth, Link swung his sword at it. Two pieces of stone fell to the ground. The cut was so smooth that there weren't any chips or other small pieces of rock anywhere.

Link sheathed the sword and held it forward. "For your consideration," he stated. A servant came and took the sword to add it to the gift pile.

Link hardly paid any attention to the remaining gifts. He was just anxious for the festivities to start. For one, even thought he'd had some snacks, he was really ready for a true meal. He definitely needed it. Also, he was looking forward to the opening of the dance floor. Maybe he could meet a nice girl.

As the last family concluded the presentation and the guests went to eat, Link's father walked up to him.

"Anything interesting happen while you were out?" the old man asked.

"Only one," Link replied. "I bumped into a peasant girl."

"You say peasant like it's a bad thing. I raised you better than that, boy."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"So, you bumped into this girl."

"Yeah, we both apologized, and I offered to buy her something to make up for knocking her down. We had a short conversation. I kind of liked her."

"You sound like a lovesick puppy."

"I bet you think you're so funny."

"No, I don't think that I'm so funny; I _know_ that I'm so funny."

Link just huffed.

"I'm glad that you had a good experience with a woman. Just be careful. Women can be vicious sometimes."

"You've only told me that about…" Link trailed off, as something caught his attention.

He saw Adlez coming from the royal chambers of the palace. He blinked a couple of times to be sure that he wasn't hallucinating. Nope, it was definitely her. But now she was wearing the clothing of royalty. She was actually dressed as if she was Princess…

Link almost smacked himself in the face. Adlez is just Zelda spelled backwards. He'd run into the princess in the market place! _Actually, you ran her over, you dolt!_ a little voice inside his head yelled. Great, that was the last thing he needed. Although, some good could still come of it, if he played it smoothly.

He wormed his way into the crowd that was gathering at the dance floor. He made his way up to Zelda from behind.

"You know," he said when he was close enough, catching her off guard. "Adlez was a pretty good fake name. I never would have realized that it was Zelda spelled backwards unless I saw you here."

"Link!" she said, more than a little shocked. "You presented a gift?"

"I did. Not only that, but my dad is a former knight of the Royal Guard."

"It looks like we were both keeping things to ourselves."

"So tell me, Princess, why were you going around town dressed as a peasant."

"I just needed to get some time to myself is all. Thank you for that pastry by the way."

Link smiled. "It was the least I could do. I still feel a little guilty about knocking you over."

_I don't get it,_ Link thought. _I just found out that she's the princess of Hyrule, yet I'm talking to her like she's an old friend. Why do I feel so comfortable around her._

He was about to question her to get some answers to these thoughts when something totally unexpected happened. There was a loud blast. Link turned and looked at the center of the main room. There was a smoking cloud there. Through it, he could just make out the silhouette of a man.

* * *

**A/N: A double update. For those of you who are reading this fanfiction in its infancy, enjoy this. It won't happen to often. And if you did enjoy this, please let me know what you think.**


	4. Ancient Evil

Chapter 4: Ancient Evil

Link watched anxiously as the smoke cleared. The man standing there was the most unusual man Link had ever seen. The man was fairly tall; 6' 5" if Link had to guess. His skin was ridiculously pale. His hair was an even paler shade of white. His eyes were large and dark colored, and he had these thick bags underneath them. His lips were pure white, rather than being a darker shade than his skin.

His outfit was as bizarre as his physical appearance. He wore a red cape with a high collar. Link saw a diamond design on the inside of the collar. The back went down to three points, almost like it was designed for a jester. The cape also had a section in the front that did the same thing. Underneath the cape, Link could see a skintight white outfit that had the diamond pattern on the limbs.

"Hello everyone," the man said with a cackle. "My, my, it seems as if you're having fun here. I hope you don't mind my intrusion too much."

He vanished in a cloud of reddish orange diamond patterns. The same cloud appeared somewhere else, revealing that the man had teleported.

"Oh, don't mind me too much," he continued. "I've only come for one thing. Once I've found it, I'll leave."

"What do you want?" the king asked, on edge.

"Me?" the man said. He teleported so that his face was only inches from the king's. "Oh, it's nothing too complicated. I only want a piece of the Triforce. Power would be preferable."

"You are a fool. I cannot give the Triforce to any who would use it for evil."

The man looked hurt. "But it is not the entire Triforce that I want. I would like it, yes, but I am not so naïve as to believe that I can actually harness all three pieces. No, Power will be just fine for my purposes."

"Even that can be catastrophic in the hands of evil. I cannot allow you to take it."

As the king said this, the royal guards poured out of the halls behind the throne. The all had lances leveled at the newcomer. The newcomer, for his part, managed to look as if he was nothing more than slightly annoyed.

"Do you really think you can defeat me?" the man said with a sigh. "I am the great Demon Lord Ghirahim! I will not be defeated by lowly mortals!"

Ghirahim's cape vanished in a puff of diamonds as a sword appeared in his hands in the same manner. It was a wicked looking blade that was thin, curved, black, and had a hilt that was reminiscent of rapiers.

The royal guards charged simultaneously. Ghirahim disappeared right as the first lances would have reached him. The guards stopped in their tracks, flabbergasted by the sudden disappearance. Ghirahim dropped from the ceiling, driving his sword through a guardsman's neck. The man collapsed without a sound. Ghirahim withdrew his sword and licked the blood off the blade. His eyes widened in wild delight.

"It has been long since I tasted the blood of humans," he said in a tone so calm that it was disconcerting. "I have forgotten what an exhilarating taste it is."

The guardsman charged Ghirahim once again. Ghirahim simply dance around their lances. He dealt multiple death blows in rapid succession. His thin sword easily pierced the guardsman's armor. Soon, the floor was covered in bodies.

As guests were screaming and running for their lives, Link decided that he had to do something. He couldn't allow Ghirahim to get what he wanted. Link ran to the pile of gifts and found the sword that he'd forged. He quickly drew it and ran to the throne.

Ghirahim was approaching it, having disposed of all the guards, when Link stepped in his way. Ghirahim raised an eyebrow in annoyance at the brave, if foolish, youth.

"Step aside boy," Ghirahim stated, annoyed. "I don't have time for idiotic heroics."

Link refused to budge. Ghirahim sighed once more.

"The last time a youth like you stood in my way, I went soft on him. I only treated him as a minor annoyance. I won't be making the same mistake twice."

Ghirahim's eyes narrowed. He charged forward at a blinding speed. Link was barely able to stand up to the force behind the swing. Ghirahim did not relent. The Demon Lord continued to swing, and swing, and swing, and swing. Link felt his arms tiring as he blocked the blows. He couldn't find an opportunity to stab at his opponent.

Ghirahim looked even more irritated as the fight continued.

He finally backed off, allowing Link to take a breath.

"This is tiresome," Ghirahim stated in an exasperated tone. The Demon Lord sounded as if he was scolding an unruly toddler. "That is an impressive sword, I'll grant you that much. Most swords would have been sliced by my blade."

Ghirahim charged in once more. However, Link had a trick up his sleeve. Right before Ghirahim came within striking distance, Link unleashed a magic spell. He held forth his left hand as the runes describing the spell materialized in light. A bolt of energy struck Ghirahim full in the face. Ghirahim now looked as if he was pissed.

"You made a mistake, bringing magic into the fight," Ghirahim scolded. "None can outdo me in magical prowess."

Link found himself thrown against the wall above the throne. He struck hard, likely resulting in the bruising of his back. He looked down and saw that he was held to the wall by a light pattern that was red-orange in color. It was Ghirahim's distinctive diamond pattern. Link struggled uselessly against the restraints.

Ghirahim teleported to just a few feet from Link. He landed on a platform made of his magic.

"You put up a good fight," Ghirahim stated. "But this is where we say goodbye."

As Ghirahim drew his sword back to impale Link's skull, a fiery arrow impacted the back of the Demon Lord's head, exploding. The Demon looked backwards over his shoulder at the attacker, eyes narrowed in extreme annoyance. He vanished.

Link wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. When Ghirahim reappeared, he didn't hesitate in driving his sword through the heart of the one who fired the arrow. As Ghirahim moved away, Link actually did scream. For the man collapsed and bleeding on the ground was his father.

Ghirahim looked up towards Link. "You are lucky, boy," he stated. "The spell I've been running ever since I got here found what it was looking for." As he finished speaking, a golden triangle appeared in his white hand in a puff of diamonds.

"With this," Ghirahim continued, "I bid you all adieu."

The Demon Lord vanished.

With the spell that was holding no longer powered, Link collapsed onto the ground, his sword clanging out of his hand. Link wasn't even thinking about his sword at the moment. He rushed over to the figure prone on the floor.

"FATHER!" he screamed. Link knelt down by the old man and gingerly picked him up. What he saw confirmed his fears. The old man had already passed. Link shed a few tears as he closed his father's eyes. _I swear,_ Link thought, _that monster will pay for this! I SWEAR IT! _And Link wailed at the passing of the man who had raised him, loved him, and taught him everything he had known.

**A/N: And now, things begin to grow interesting. Leave a review to let me know what you think.**


	5. Blade of Legend

Chapter 5: Blade of Legend

Link woke up, looking at the plain wooden ceiling. It had been a week since his father had passed. Tiredly, he hauled himself out of bed. It would be another day of feeling dead. Without his father around, Link felt empty. He realized that he now owned everything in their small home, but he just didn't feel it. In fact, he felt like an invader in someone else's house.

He moved out the door into the hallway. He turned left from his room, following the hallway to the semi-spiral staircase that led to the forge. Link entered the forge, picking up a workable piece of iron. He began hammering a blade from it blankly. He used various pieces of magic to speed up the process and improve the quality of the metal. Soon, he began applying the coal and magic incantations that would transform the iron into steel.

He took the smoking piece of metal and hammered the shape out of it. He went through step after step after step, slowly bringing the shape of the blade out. After hours of working, he admired the final product. It was a decent sword, and selling it would get him enough rupees to live for a couple of days. He set it next to the six other swords that he'd made that week.

Link made his way into the kitchen. He didn't much feel like it, but he knew that he had to eat something. He opened the pantry and took out a piece of smoked, salted beef. He sat down at the table and just ate, while contemplating.

Everything that he'd worked for over the past five years had just been ruined in a single moment. And that was just the icing on the cake. The real heart of Link's problem was that he'd lost the man who had defined his life. His mother had left them when he was three. Link didn't remember much about her, but he remembered the pain that her leaving had caused within his father.

After that, his father had raised him alone. Link learned everything he knew from his father. Though his father encouraged him to be himself, Link always strove to please the old man. He had developed a close relationship with his father. And now it was all gone.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. Ghirahim just had to come in and ruin everything. All Link's father had done was try to protect his son. And Ghirahim killed him for it. Link supposed he did owe his father for saving his life. There was yet another regret that Link carried. Link would never be able to thank his father for saving his life.

Link slammed the table in frustration. Life wasn't fair. Link had never done anything to deserve the cruel fate he had been dealt. Why couldn't fate just leave him alone? It wasn't fair.

As Link ate the last bit of his beef, a rapping on the door broke him out of his dark thoughts. Without much enthusiasm, he got up and opened the door.

"Yes?" he said emptily. Then he realized that it was Zelda standing there. "Your Majesty!"

"Hello, Link," she said simply.

"Uh…come in."

"Thank you," the blond said as she stepped over the threshold. She took a look around the forge. "So this is where you live and work?"

"Yeah."

Zelda walked over to the swords. She picked one up and studied it. She removed it from its sheath and inspected the blade. "A fine piece of work," she stated. "Did your father teach you?"

"Yes," Link said, bowing his head.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Zelda said suddenly. "Your father was a good man. I never knew him personally, but my father did. He said that your father was the finest of the Hylian Knights."

"I wouldn't know," Link stated. "He never liked to talk about his days as a knight."

"Why?" Zelda inquired.

"I don't know. I think that the life of a warrior wasn't something he wanted for me. So he trained me as a blacksmith. When he found out that I could manipulate magic, he immediately trained me to use that skill in my profession."

There was an awkward silence. "Why are you here?" Link asked.

"My father sent me. He wants to see you."

"The king wants to see me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"He knows where Ghirahim is."

"Let me get my boots on."

* * *

Link found himself once again in the palace foyer. He looked towards the throne at the other end. King Hilan was waiting there. Link approached and bowed.

"You requested to see me, your Highness?" Link asked.

"Walk with me," the king said, rising.

Link did as he was told. The king went to a door concealed behind a tapestry behind the throne. Link wondered why a door would be concealed there. He immediately assumed that whatever he was about to hear would be told in the utmost secrecy. Link followed the king through the door.

Link found himself in a stone hallway with no windows or decoration of any kind. It plunged deep into the earth, with a torch every 20 feet. The king immediately began walking.

"Your father was one of the most valuable knights when he still fought," the king stated.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"The loss of your father is a great tragedy to this kingdom. However, if you're even half the man he was, you may offer hope that we will get through this present crisis."

"What kind of crisis is that?"

"Once, long ago, the king of evil, Ganondorf stole the Triforce of Power and kidnapped the Princess Zelda of that age. That was when your namesake gathered the shattered Triforce of Wisdom and defeated the evil king. Then, not many years later, that Link rediscovered the Triforce of Courage and prevented Ganon's resurrection."

"I know all this, why tell me again?"

"Ganondorf still sleeps in this world. And Ghirahim took the Triforce of Power. It is distinctly possible that Ghirahim intends to resurrect the evil king. We cannot allow that to happen."

"Let me guess," Link said. "You want me to go after him."

"Yes."

"But with what? You saw how easily I was defeated when I fought him."

"That is why I am bringing you here. Concealed within this palace is a sword that can banish evil."

"The Master Sword? It's not just a legend?"

"No, it's not."

The hallway abruptly ended, revealing a circular room. It was a dismal place, made entirely of stone. In the center, there was a sword driven into the stone. Its silvery blade was almost white, and radiated purity. The hilt was blue and the cross guard was wing-like. This blade looked stronger than anything Link could ever forge.

Above it, two golden triangles were suspended in air. With a start, Link realized that those were the two remaining pieces of the Triforce. They constituted the bottom pieces, Wisdom and Courage. Power was missing, taken by Ghirahim.

"Draw it," the king stated.

Link approached the Master Sword with a purposeful stride. When he was close enough, he bent down and grabbed the hilt of the blade. He applied force, causing the blade to rise from its pedestal. A white light emanated from the sword, and Link felt the immense power of the blade wash over him. He felt stronger just holding this great weapon.

Link examined the blade in his hand. It was masterfully crafted. It's edge was sharper than even Link's diamond-steel blade. With this blade, Link felt that he actually stood a chance against Ghirahim, who simply radiated evil.

Suddenly, Link saw the remaining pieces of the Triforce begin to glow. The one on the right detached itself from its partner and charged towards Link's right hand. In a blast of golden light, the Triforce grafted itself into Link's hand. Link looked at his right hand after the light show ended and saw that a tattoo of the Triforce had appeared on the back of his hand.

Link turned to look at the king. The old man appeared genuinely stunned at the turn of events.

"You truly are the hero," the king said, awed.

"I swear," Link stated, "Ghirahim will pay for what he has done. I will keep peace within this kingdom!" And Link meant every word. Inside, he was jumping at a chance for revenge on the man who had ruined his life.

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone. I hoped you liked the chapter. If you did, let me know what you think. If you didn't like it, let me know anyway.**


	6. On the Road

Chapter 6: On the Road

Link had been traveling for three days straight. It had taken him that long to cross Hyrule field and enter the hills surrounding Lake Hylia. Hylia, that was the place where Link would find Ghirahim. The king had told Link that his informants had indicated that the Demon Lord had taken residence in an old castle on the lake's shore.

He looked around him. The sun was at its height for the day. Link decided to break for lunch. He sat down at the side of the road and pulled out some smoked meat. He observed the beautiful, rolling green hills as he munched on the meat. The thinly wooded area was absolutely breath taking.

Looking at it filled Link with a calm that he hadn't felt since his father's passing. He allowed himself to be at peace. He closed his eyes and breathed in the wonderful smell of the fresh air. It was vastly superior to the smoky smell of the forge. The day was truly perfect.

And then that moment ended. Link heard a cry for help come from behind the hill he was sitting on. He immediately jumped up to go help, leaving all his supplies, except his sword and shield, behind. He topped the hill and saw something that he knew that he had to help with. A young girl was being harassed by a Bokoblin.

Link charged the red monster with a battle cry. The monster was caught off guard as the blade of the Master Sword pierced its gut. The monster let out a weak death cry as it fell to the earth. Seconds later, the body disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

"Are you all right?" Link asked the girl.

"I think so," the girl replied. She was young, 12 at the oldest. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. Her face was still babyish, but her body showed the early signs of adolescence. She was wearing a simple white dress.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Are you supposed to be the hero?"

The question was not unwarranted, as Link was wearing the garb of the hero. He had decided to wear it after the Master Sword and Triforce of Courage accepted him as their master. It felt appropriate.

"Yes," he replied simply. "Why are you out here all by yourself? Where are your parents?"

The tears welled up in the girl's eyes when Link asked that. "H-h-h-he k-k-k-killed them."

"Who?" Link asked patiently, half-sure of the answer.

"He calls himself the Demon Lord," the girl sniffed. "He told my parents that he needed our house. When they said no, he…he…"

The little girl finally started crying. Link knelt down and hugged the girl, sympathizing with her.

"It'll be all right," he soothed. "I'm going to finish him once and for all."

The girl looked at him in the eye, hoping against hope that Link was talking the truth.

"Really?" she said quietly.

"He killed my father."

The girl now knew whey Link was so sympathetic towards her. He had lost the same thing she had.

"I'm sorry," she said. They sat in the woods and calmed down for a few minutes. Then, "So, Mr. Hero, do you have a name?"

"Link," he answered simply. "And you?"

"Amai," she responded.

"It's nice to meet you, Amai."

"You too, Link."

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"So, do you have anywhere to go?" Link questioned.

Amai shook her head no. She was on the verge of tearing up again.

"Ok," Link said, "Why don't you travel with me until we can find a home for you?"

"Really?!" Amai said, eyes practically sparkling.

"Sure. But I need to warn you, I'm going to where the Demon Lord is. Do you still want to come?"

The girl nodded resolutely. "He killed them. If you're going to finish him off, I want to help you in any way that I can."

"Alright, then. It's decided. You'll come with me."

Link stood up and began walking towards the place he'd dropped his bag. Amai followed him. They began walking down the path towards the lake.

"Why do you call yourself the hero, anyway," Amai asked him as they walked.

"The Master Sword and the Triforce of Courage both chose me as their master," Link responded.

"Really," the girl said, eyes alive with wonder. "That's the real Master Sword?"

"The one and only," Link said. He drew the sword and showed it to the awe filled girl.

"Woah," she stated. "That's so cool!"

"I guess so."

"Why aren't you more excited, Mr. Hero?"

Link took a deep breath. "I don't want to be the hero. I wanted to live a simple life as a blacksmith. But Ghirahim took my father from me. I have to make him pay. I only accepted the sword because I can't defeat Ghirahim otherwise."

"That's why you're the hero?" Amai asked, disappointed. "You don't sound like much of a hero to me, Mr. Hero."

"I thought we established that my name was Link."

"But I like calling you Mr. Hero," the girl pouted. The face she made was so adorable that Link just let the nickname slide.

"You had better be careful, Amai," Link said playfully. "It can be dangerous to be that cute."

"I know," she giggled.

They walked in silence for a little while. Then, Link decided to ask a more serious question.

"What can you tell me about the castle Ghirahim's at?"

The girl went silent for a moment.

"If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

"No, I'll tell you." Amai took a deep breath. "He keeps monsters all over the gates. The patrols have bows and mean-looking swords. The halls are all filled with all kinds of other scary monsters. If you go in by yourself, they'll get you."

"Sounds tough," Link said, more to himself.

"Sure is," Amai responded. "But you can consider yourself lucky, Mr. Hero. I know all the shortcuts and hidden areas. I can get you through, and they will never see you."

"Sounds good."

Amai smiled at her success. Apparently, she enjoyed being useful. Link liked that in her. He may not have known her long, but he was already starting to like her. She was like a little sister that he'd never had.

The two of them walked on for most of the day. As the sun was setting, the two of them entered the Lake Hylia region. The castle that they were headed to stood out on the other side. Link was practically jumping out of his skin with anticipation. Soon, he'd make that monster pay.

* * *

**A/N: And so, the next chapter is here. I know it's a bit short, but the next two will make up for it, I promise. As always, leave a review to tell me what you think.**

**P.S. I know this is like asking for free advertising, but if you like my story and know other Zelda fans who might like it, please tell them about Nightfall.**


	7. House of Cards

Chapter 7: House of Cards

Link and Amai snuck as close to the castle as they could without leaving the woods. However, there was still at least 300 feet between them and the castle when the woods ended. Link was about to sit down and think on how to cross without being spotted when Amai tugged on his sleeve.

"I know how to get there," she stated simply.

"How?" Link asked.

"There's a secret tunnel around here somewhere. I used to play in it a lot."

"Alright, it sounds better than trying to cross the field."

She led him fairly deep into the woods, in a direction opposite of the castle. She stopped at an old, hollowed out tree-trunk. She moved around frantically.

"Oh, where is it?" she muttered. She continued to look around the stump. "I know it's here somewhere." She moved into the stump, examining the walls. "A-ha!"

She moved a piece of wood and threw a switch. There was a creaking as a trapdoor in the base of the stump opened up. In it was a ladder that moved down into a tunnel. Link couldn't see anything, but that wouldn't be a problem.

"Let's go," he stated, starting down the ladder.

"Wait!" Amai said. "Don't we need a light?"

Link cast a quick illuminating spell. "I have it covered."

"Cool!" Amai exclaimed.

"Shhh! Not so loud!"

"Sorry," was the hushed reply.

The two of them descended into the dark. Link's light hovered exactly one foot above his head. It cast out a white light, illuminating the earthen tunnel. Before long, though, they ran into a fork in the road.

"Now what?" Link asked.

"Relax. I got this," Amai told him. She then confidently went into the passage to the left. Link shrugged to himself and followed. Soon, more fork-in-the-roads began coming onto the path. Link was amazed that the girl never slowed down. She knew each turn like the back of her hand.

"How do you know these paths so well?" he asked her.

"I found the entrances in the castle," she stated. "I used to bring string down here and wander around. Then, I'd follow the string back to the entrance. After a while, I found that exit in the woods. I went on that path so many times that I learned it both ways."

"Incredible."

"Well, you can do anything if you practice enough. Hey, look, we're getting close."

It was true. Up ahead, the earthen tunnels changed to a square tunnel of gray stone. Link listened to his boots clap against the stone as he stepped onto it. It was incredible that all this existed underground.

"Why do these tunnels exist?" Link asked.

"I dunno," Amai responded simply.

"Why not?"

"My parents didn't build this place. They just moved in and made it pretty again."

"Oh."

"We're almost there."

Link looked ahead and saw that the tunnel dead-ended about 20 feet in front of them. As they approached, Link could see that there was a ladder that went up in a cylindrical, vertical tunnel. Link had to wonder what that meant.

As if she could read his mind, "That ladder is inside one of the pillars of the throne room. Let's go."

Amai moved to scurry up the ladder, but Link held her back. "Let me go first," he told her.

She thought about it for a minute, but then seemed to get the idea. "OK," she stated.

Link started up the ladder. It was about forty feet to the top, but it wasn't a difficult climb at all. He reached the top and helped Amai climb over the edge. He then stopped to look at his surroundings.

He was in a room that was just barely tall enough for him to stand up straight in. It was only about 20 by 20 feet. The walls were lined with small doors and torches. There was a small table just to the right of a trap door that was located in the room's center. Link walked over to the table and saw that there was an old piece of paper on it. It was a spy's report. Link wondered if that had anything to do with the existence of the tunnels.

"Ok," Amai said. "This room is right above the throne room. That trap door will drop you just out of sight of the throne. But, the rope's broken. Do you have a way down?"

"Yes," Link answered simply. Then he looked Amai straight in the eyes. "I need you to go back to the woods and wait for me. You can't get hurt."

Amai nodded reluctantly. Link grabbed one of the wall torches and used magic to light it. He handed it to Amai, who then took and started back down the ladder towards the tunnel system.

Link took a deep breath and then opened the trap door. He could see a wall directly in front of him. Given that the ladder back to the tunnels was behind him, he could only assume that's where the pillar was. It was a good 30 foot drop, but Link had magic to cushion his landing.

He silently dropped to the ground and looked to his left. He saw a wall with a massive door in it. To the right he saw a window. The pillars, which, looking in that direction, were to his right, obscured the view of the throne. However, the massive window showed the lake and the still-red sky in which the sun had set. Link took another deep breath and walked around the pillar.

Sitting in the massive, red-cushioned, gold-lined, ancient-looking throne was none other than Demon Lord Ghirahim. The monster was sitting there, looking almost bored. However, when he saw Link's face, he perked up.

"Well, this makes things interesting," Ghirahim stated. "And it looks like my intuition was right. They sent you." Ghirahim caught sight of the blue hilt of the Master Sword. "And they even gave you the sword."

The Demon Lord disappeared in a burst of diamonds. Ghirahim reappeared, his arm around Link's shoulders.

"It actually works out great for me that you're the one to be chosen as the hero. It makes my job _so_ much easier."

Link ducked out of Ghirahim's grasp and drew the Mater Sword. He placed his father's Hylian shield on his left arm, prepared to fight.

Ghirahim laughed. "It's hilarious how you think a sword is all it takes to defeat me. Oh well, I have some time to kill, and I could use some entertainment."

Ghirahim's cape vanished and his sword appeared. He took a battle ready stance. "At your leisure, boy," the Demon Lord stated, uninterested.

Link bellowed a battle cry and charged forward, raising the Master Sword high. His blow was easily blocked by the much calmer Demon Lord. Link moved aside just in time to keep Ghirahim's counterattack from hitting him.

They went back and forth in this manner for several minutes. Neither was able to land a hit. However, Link had a feeling that Ghriahim was missing because he wasn't really trying. Link just tried harder, wanting to make Ghirahim eat his stupid confidence. Just as Link struck at an opening, Ghirahim vanished. Link back-flipped out of the way as Ghirahim crashed down onto the spot Link had just been in.

Ghirahim turned and looked at Link. _No,_ Link thought. _He's looking past me._

"Well it's been fun," Ghirahim stated. "But I'm done here. I have more important things to take care of."

A burst of diamonds knocked Link onto the ground. Ghirahim just walked right past Link without even looking at the fallen hero. As Link stood up, he saw Ghirahim smash the window and walk out onto the lake. In the sky, the moon had risen half-way above the hills. It looked beautiful, the way it reflected on the lake.

Link rose to follow Ghirahim, but a diamond-patterned barrier stopped him. Link looked around and saw that the barrier encompassed the entire room.

"I can't have you interrupting me," Ghirahim stated casually, without looking back.

He walked out onto the lake. As he came in contact with the water, a diamond-pattern floor covered the entire lake. Ghirahim walked out to the center and raised his arms to the sky. Diamond magic patterns flew around him in random waves. Link had no idea what the Demon Lord was doing.

Suddenly, the diamonds coalesced in the air above and a little in front of Ghirahim. Link made out a body appearing there. It was a monstrosity, to say the least. It looked like a humanoid boar. Soon, Link made the connection. That was Gannondorf, the king of evil!

Link immediately began to pound on the barrier with his sword, hoping to smash through it in time to stop the resurrection from occurring. If Ganondorf were returned to life and the Triforce of Power given to him, Link would never have his revenge on Ghirahim.

Ghirahim moved Ganondorf onto the magic platform that served as the floor. Ghirahim once again held his arms up to the sky. Three points appeared there. White lines began trailing from them. Link wondered what that meant. Then, Ghirahim clapped his hands together and the two points on the outside crashed into the middle point, their trails forming an arrow.

Link fell to the ground as the entire earth shook. Something momentous had just happened, and Link had no idea what it was. Something felt fundamentally changed in the fabric of the world.

When Link could stand, he once again looked to the lake. There were two new occupants there. One was a dead man with very dark skin and fiery red hair. Another was a statue of a man who was extremely similar in appearance.

Ghirahim was in the middle of continuing his grand spell. Link would not allow him to finish. He once again resumed his attack on the barrier. After about a minute, it shattered, the shards flying forward as Link's thrust nearly carried him over the edge. Once he regained his balance, he charged out towards Ghirahim.

Link stopped about ten feet behind the Demon Lord.

"Bother," Link heard Ghirahim mutter. "You hero types never give me enough time to complete the spell."

The Demon Lord turned around, once again brandishing his sword. "I'll just finish you quickly."

Ghirahim made the first move this time. Link blocked the attack and struck back. His attack was likewise blocked. The two clashed twice more when Ghirahim drew first blood. Link blocked a strike poorly, causing it to slide off his shield and cut the bicep in his sword arm. It wasn't deep, but it hurt.

Ghirahim stepped back. "OK, I've had my fun, but now I think I'll finish you."

Link blocked a blast of magic with the master sword, which readily absorbed and dissipated the evil power. Now Ghirahim looked irritated. "Fine, then. The old fashioned way it is."

They clashed swords once again. After about three clashes, the two locked swords.

"You're awfully silent around me," Ghirahim chided. "Do I leave you that awestruck?"

"No!" Link yelled.

"Then it must be livid hatred. Was it that old man I killed? Was he important to you?"

Link responded by sending a magic blast into Ghirahim's face. Ghirahim, however, deftly dodged it, not falling for the same trick twice.

"Not bad, but you have to try harder. Reach deeper. Don't you want to rip my heart out for killing him?"

Link bellowed in rage and launched a furious blow of strikes. Ghirahim couldn't block all of them. Link was surprised to see diamond-patterned flecks of it come off, revealing a black… something underneath. However, Link didn't pause to take it in. He just kept up the furious attack.

Then, Link saw it. There was an opening. Ghirahim had overreached on his last attack, and there was a clean shot at his neck. Link took it.

The sword stopped inches from touching down, a second black sword appearing from nowhere to block it. But that wasn't what alarmed Link. No, what alarmed Link was the diamond-patterned magic flowing into the Master Sword from where it was held by Ghirahim's blade.

Link stumbled back as the Master Sword grew heavy in his hands. He tried his best to hold it up, and succeeded. However, he was beginning to dread what was happening. Cracks were forming in the center of the blade, where the collecting magic had moved to.

In the nightfall, the Master Sword shattered. Link had thought he was the hero, but that house of cards shattered with the legendary blade.

* * *

**A/N: Hello everybody. Well, this is the chapter where everything advertised in the description comes to pass. So ends the prologue portion of my story. Please, let me know if you liked it.**


	8. King of Evil

Chapter 8: King of Evil

Link watched in sheer terror as the Master Sword shattered in his grasp. Never in a million years had he thought that it was possible for the legendary blade to shatter. All the legends pointed to the fact that if the hero picked up the sword, he always defeated evil. Why did he have to be the exception?

But, something else grabbed his attention. Floating where the blade had broken were two spheres. One was purple, and emanated a pure light. The other, however, was far different. It was black as midnight and misty. Link could feel the very evil of it trying to corrupt everything around it.

Ghirahim's psychotic laughter broke Link's shock. It went on for a full minute, mocking the would-be hero.

"How does it feel to have all your hopes dashed at the last second?" Ghirahim taunted. "Did you honestly think that having a magic sword and golden triangle was all it took to make you into a hero? Wake up! Reality isn't as nice as all that."

Ghirahim broke into another laughing fit. Link just sank to his knees, still shocked that all his hope had completely evaporated before his eyes. He dropped the broken hilt of the master sword. He stared at nothing, completely overcome by helplessness.

"Look at you, hero," Ghirahim continued to taunt. "You're so pathetic. You walked face-first into a trap I've spent millennia devising. You see, the question I was faced with was how to remove that sword. It was that blade that allowed your oldest ancestor to best me after all. And then it hit me. That sword absorbed the essence of my former master. If I called it out with enough power, it would shatter the sword. Not only that, but I would be able to resurrect my master with no problems at all. It was too easy. And you made it easier. Your heart carries darkness, a darkness that prevented the sword from working against me."

Ghirahim paused his monologue to look at Link condescendingly. "What, nothing to say, hero? Bah, no matter. Now, it's time for the main event."

Ghirahim turned toward the three bodies that he had summoned. He then held both his arms in front of him, collecting magic between them. A golden triangle materialized. Ghirahim had summoned the Triforce of Power. He then reached his left hand backwards, summoning the shadow that had been released from the Master Sword. The Demon Lord smashed the shadow into the Triforce, turning the golden triangle black.

Ghirahim then turned his attention to the three bodies. He held his arms out once again. Conduits of magic linked Ganondorf's body to the other two. Link saw shadow power flowing from the dead man and statue into the monster. The statue disintegrated, and the body petrified before disintegrating as well. All that shadow entered the monster, which started to breath heavily.

"And now, my Lord Demise," Ghirahim shouted triumphantly, "RISE!"

The black Triforce flew into Ganondorf's right hand. Lightning flashed in the sky, despite there being no storm clouds. Black shadows engulfed the body as it rose into the air. When it stopped rising, it was perfectly silhouetted in the light of the full moon. Black lightning streaked from the cloud that surrounded the body as the feeling of pure evil caused Link to vomit.

Suddenly, everything exploded outwards. Left in the center of the blast was a man that Link didn't recognize at all. He wore billowy, robe-like pants, with armor hanging down from his belt. His entire torso and upper arms were encased in black armor. The man had an ornate, orange rimmed cape flowing down from his upper back. But was scared Link most was the hair. It was made of pure fire.

The man opened his eyes. They were burning red, and filled with malice. The man descended from the sky, landing next to Ghirahim.

"I thank you, Ghirahim," he said in a deep, resonating voice. "You have freed me from the eternal slumber."

"I live to serve, Lord Demise," the gay clown responded.

"Please, do not call me that," Demise said. "I much prefer the name of my incarnation: Ganondorf." Ganondorf smiled. "It is far more fitting for a being of my power."

Ganondorf looked Link straight in the eye. "Who is this? He reminds me of the hero that imprisoned my spirit in that accursed sword. He also has the air of those who have repeatedly thwarted my reincarnation. Is he not the hero?"

"He is just a fool, Lord Ganondorf," Ghirahim responded. "It was because of his arrogance that I was able to resurrect you, after all."

"A hero? Arrogant?" Ganondorf laughed. It was deep, evil, disturbing sound. "Truly the world is ready for me to rule, if this is all it can throw at me."

"I'll show you arrogant!" Link yelled, unable to contain himself under the insults.

"Oh? But your weapon is shattered. What hope do you have?"

"THIS!" Link raised his right hand and summoned a ball of electric fire. Link had intended just fire, but the power of the Triforce of Courage added the bolts. Link shot the blast at Gannondorf. It exploded in a spectacular display of flames and lightning. Link was about to celebrate his victory when the smoke cleared.

"Quaint," Ganondorf said simply. "Allow me to give you a taste of real power."

Ganondorf raised both of his arms above his head, charging a bolt of fire and darkness. The king of evil hurled the ball at Link. Link raised his shield and braced it with his magic. Even so, the bolt caught him and threw him almost all the way back to the shore. The landing hurt, and he was sure he'd be severely bruised. That is, if he lived through the night.

Link raised his head and saw the king of evil and his clown approaching. Ganondorf stood over Link, the evil one's face completely neutral. Ganondorf's eyes narrowed.

"Pathetic," the evil one stated. "He's not even worth my time." Ganondorf turned to leave.

"Um, my lord," Ghirahim called.

"What is it?"

"Not to question your wisdom, but shouldn't we kill him?"

Ganondorf turned around. "What? Him?" Ganondorf pointed towards the fallen hero. "He's pathetic. He has no hope of winning. He couldn't even defeat you with his almighty sword. There is no way on heaven or earth that he will be able to challenge me without it."

"But my lord!" Ghirahim insisted. "Pests like him have a way of coming back."

"If you feel that he must die, then kill him. I have a conquest that I must prepare for."

Ganondorf disappeared in a puff of flames. Ghirahim turned towards Link, a wicked smile on his face. In a puff of diamond magic, Ghirahim's blade reappeared in his hands.

"Well, it looks like this is the end for you hero," Ghirahim taunted. "Consider this an act of mercy. It will be far less painful for you than the other fools who stand in our way."

Ghirahim stood over the fallen Link, black sword raised into the air, preparing to deal the death blow.

Link closed his eyes, unable to watch the blade descend towards its target. What he heard was not at all what he was expecting. He heard the scratching of metal on metal and the sound of something shattering.

Link opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Ghirahim's chest was gone, revealing a reddish-orange diamond structure. Sticking out of said structure was the tip of a katana. Link looked behind Ghirahim and saw Amai running for cover. Ghirahim was just beginning to turn around to face his attacker.

Thinking quickly, Link grabbed Ghirahim's sword and drove it through the heart-like structure before the clown could see Amai.

"Gah!" Ghirahim yelled in pain. "If it's not one thing, it's another." The clown looked Link, who was now standing, dead in the eye. "You get off easy this time. Next time we meet, there won't be any skirts for you to hide behind!"

Ghirahim disappeared in his trademark puff of diamonds, the katana dropping into the water. Without Ghirahim, the spell that had turned the lake into a platform dissipated. Link waded out of the lake and collapsed on the shore, glad to be alive.

* * *

**A/N:** **Hello everyone. Sorry that I let over a week go by since my last update, but you can't help being sick. I honestly have not felt motivated to do anything. This chapter was actually the product of boredom. Regardless, I hope you all like it. Please leave a review to let me know what you think.**

**P.S.: Before I forget, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to The Moonclaw, whose humor story LOL inspired me to include the bit on Ganondorf abandoning the name Demise.**


	9. Fi

Chapter 9: Fi

Link's eyes fluttered open. The only sight that met his eyes was bluish-green blur. He blinked a couple of times and groaned before the sight came into focus. He was seeing a canopy of trees, with patches of the sky appearing here and there to break the canopy. Lake Hylia was in a wooded area, but the tree cover wasn't that thick. Then, it hit him. He'd been moved to the east, into Faron Woods.

He moved to sit up, but couldn't manage it. A soft, feminine voice told him, "Conserve your strength, you will need it for the trials to come."

Link couldn't make the voice out. It definitely didn't belong to Amai, as Amai's voice was higher pitched and more bubbly. It wasn't Zelda, it sounded too… mechanical.

Rather than try to puzzle out who he was hearing, he decided to try and remember what had happened before he passed out. He remembered very clearly the shattering of the Master Sword and the resurrection of Ganondorf, but after that, everything went kind of blurry. Link focused for a couple of minutes before he could remember. He had staggered to where Amai had hidden after she had saved his life. Once he'd reached there, he collapsed.

So that was what happened to him before he was knocked out, but what about after? Amai may have been strong for a girl her age, but she wasn't strong enough to drag Link all the way to Faron Woods; at least, not alone.

Which once again brought Link back to the question of who the new feminine voice belonged to. She sounded so familiar, yet so alien at the same time. It was a very strange sensation. The feelings were so contradictory, that it made his head ache something awful.

With an obnoxious groan, Link sat up and looked around. Based on the lighting and shadows, it was no later than ten in the morning. He was deep in Faron Woods, so deep as to not recognize anything around him. The trees were all various deciduous species, in the full green of summer.

He saw Amai about 15 feet to his left, sleeping soundly in a bedroll that had been fished from his supplies. He craned his head to the right to see if he could spot this new comer. The sight that met his eyes was a little shocking.

It was definitely a woman. She had bizarre light blue hair and eyes to match. Her hair was short and came up to a point in the back of her head. She wore a short dress with a blue diamond structure on the bodice. Her legs were covered in netting and dark blue tights that reminded him of the grip of the Master Sword. Her arms were hidden from view by long, flowing, drape like pieces of cloth. The cloth covering her right shoulder was a dark blue, and the cloth covering her left was the same light blue as her hair. Her skin was porcelain white.

"Um…" Link said, getting the woman's attention. "Who are you?"

"I am called Fi," she responded.

"Fi?" Link continued to question.

"Yes," Fi said simply.

There was an awkward silence. Link thought of how to phrase the question he was about to ask. It wasn't easy. He didn't want to pry too much into a woman's affairs, after all, but he need answers. Finally, he gained the courage to do what he needed.

"How, exactly did you run across me and my frind?"

Fi gave him a look. "I awoke early in the night last night, not remembering anything. I wandered around that lake for some time, and I saw the girl struggling to carry your unconscious weight. Your outfit sparked something inside of my memory, which is currently clouded, and I calculated that it would be most beneficial for me to render aid."

Link was flabbergasted. Never in his life had he ever heard anyone talk as Fi did. She sounded like…like what Link imagined machines would sound like if they could talk. She was so, thorough in her explanation, and she used words that Link had rarely heard, if at all.

Behind him, Link could hear Amai stirring. He turned and watched as the girl stretched and yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her brown eyes locked onto him.

"Good morning, Mr. Hero," she stated.

"Good morning, Short Stuff," he responded.

"Hey!" she pouted, coming fully awake. "I'm not that short. I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet!"

"Whatever, Short Stuff."

Fi looked at them, a question in her pale blue eyes. Before Link could ask what was on Fi's mind, the mysterious woman voiced her question. "Is she your sibling? Or, perhaps, your offspring?"

Link went beet red as Amai giggled. "Um…well…I…" Link stuttered out.

"We aren't related at all," Amai said; saving Link's embarrassed behind. "I just met him yesterday, but I kind of like him. And he lets me stay around."

Fi, meanwhile, shot a look of confusion at Link. "Did I say something wrong? Was my question inappropriate?"

"Um, maybe a little," Link responded; able to speak once again.

"I apologize. I will make note of this and not repeat the mistake in the future."

Now, Link decided to bring up the question of Fi's speech pattern. "Why do you talk like that?"

"What is the meaning of your question?"

"I mean, why do you sound so…" Link couldn't find the word.

"Smart?" Amai put in, hoping to figure it out as well.

"Oh," Fi responded. "I am unsure of the answer to this question. As I have iterated earlier, my memory is incomplete. I know not where I come from or why I speak as I do."

"Ah," Link said. "Well, only time will tell."

"Mr. Link, why were you in a state of unconsciousness when I found you?"

"He fought a clown who calls himself a Demon Lord," Amai, supplied.

"In a nutshell, yes," Link confirmed.

Fi held her hands to her head, as if the words 'Demon Lord' sparked something in her head. As turns out, Link's guess wasn't very far from the truth.

"Those words," Fi stated in confusion. "They stir my memory. I feel certain that I have met this 'Demon Lord' in the past. It feels as if there is a fog inside my head, but this Demon Lord fits in there in some way. Was his name, perchance, Ghirahim?"

"Yes," Link answered, awestruck that Fi would know the monster by the mere mention of his title. "How do you know him?"

"I do not have sufficient memory to provide the answer to that question."

Link just sighed and decided to drop the subject. He needed to focus on other, more important matters. Matters like…

"What are you going to do now, Mr. Hero?" Amai asked as if she could read his mind.

"I'm not sure," Link responded. "The Master Sword was my best hope of defeating Ghirahim. Without it, I have no hope."

Fi perked up. "This 'Master Sword,'" she said cautiously, "I feel as if I have a very deep connection with it. Is it possible for you to take me to where it lies? Perhaps if I see it, I can recover the memory missing from my mind."

"Um…sure," Link said. "I guess it couldn't hurt. I have to warn you though, the blade is shattered. It's worse than useless now."

"You must escort me there anyway. I feel that it is vital that I see the blade again, despite whatever state it may be in."

"Ok, then, let's go," Link said. He took three steps and then realized that he didn't know where he was within Faron Woods. "Um, Amai?" Link asked. "Do you remember how we got here?"

"Sort of," the girl replied.

"Good," Link stated. "That's more than I know, so you lead."

"Um…Ok," the girl stated uncertainly.

* * *

As it turned out, Amai remembered more than she thought she did. Despite a few missteps and a couple of circular travels, they were able to reach Lake Hylia about four hours after noon. Link wondered how the two women had gotten him that deep into Faron woods in one night. It certainly didn't make any sense to him, but that was how it happened.

Link looked out over the lake, taking in everything there was to see. The castle that had been Amai's home stood empty. There were no monsters on the ramparts. It was a little disturbing to see the emptiness of it.

Link's mind wandered to how Amai's parents had been able to afford a castle. True, it was old, beat up, and run down, but still. The structure itself was massive and looked as if it had had amazing glory days. Her parents must have been people of some importance if King Hilan had given the deed to them, regardless of the price paid.

His mind snapped back to the present, as Fi was waiting patiently to be led to where the remnants of the Master Sword were resting. Link moved to his left along the coast of the lake until they were fairly close to the castle. That is where he saw the hilt and the first part of the blade of the Master Sword.

The break was extremely clean. It was perfectly straight, with no jagged edges. The weird part was that the corners that were made by the break were perfect right angles. It looked like there was a small rectangle of blade attached to the hilt.

Link bent down and picked up the hilt. He then held it out to Fi, who took it. She looked at and closed her eyes, becoming extremely focused.

"My memory," she stated. "It seems to be starting to focus. However, I may require the rest of the shards to be 100% certain. Is it possible for you to acquire them?"

"Hand me that for a second," Link stated. Fi complied. Link cast a spell to analyze the metal that was contained in the fragment of the Master Sword. As the ancient Hylian runes crawled over the blade, Link felt the information from the analysis enter his mind.

As he expected, the metal was unlike anything he'd ever encountered before. The blade was made up of an element that he was sure shouldn't exist, but it was, after all, a divine blade. Though he couldn't make sense of it, he had enough information to do what he needed to.

He held his hand out to the lake, muttering a spell in ancient Hylian under his breath. The characters of the spell hovered around his hand like a cloud, as the magic sought what he wanted. Soon, five shards rose out of the lake. By analyzing the material of the shard they had, Link could pinpoint and remove the shards that had fallen into the lake after Ghirahim's platform had de-materialized.

He placed the shards on the ground. Including the piece attached to the hilt, there were six shards in total. With the central, five pronged crack in the middle, the blade looked like a sorry excuse for a sword.

Fi bent down and examined the blade, closing her eyes as she focused.

"It is muddled, but my memories are surfacing to some extent." A moment of silence followed. "I was once the spirit within the blade. The purpose of my creation was to aid the very first hero. After my duty was completed, I entered into an endless slumber within the blade."

Amai's features scrunched in confusion. "That doesn't seem right. You're human. How could you have been a spirit inside of a sword?"

"I lack understanding," Fi responded. "This phenomenon makes as little sense to me as it does to you. If I am indeed a spirit, then how is possible that I now possess a human body? It does not add up."

Link remembered the purple tinted ball of light that exited the Master Sword along with the spirit of Demise. Could that have been Fi? It wasn't impossible, if what Fi was saying was true. It would also explain how she knew of Ghirahim.

Link gathered the shards and carefully placed them into the Master Sword's sheath. He made sure to tie the hilt down so that the shards would not come loose.

"I don't understand any of this," he stated. "But understanding can come later. Right now, we have to warn the king of what happened here."

"This path would seem logical," Fi admitted.

"Well," Amai said, "let's go!"

* * *

**A/N: So there you have it. This chapter was a little longer than the last one, and longer than my chapter usually are. Normally, my chapters are 1000 to 1500 words, while this one broke 2000. If things keep going this way, my chapters will get longer and better. Leave a review to let me know what you thought.**


	10. Black Shadows

Chapter 10: Black Shadows

Link breathed a huge sigh of relief as he saw Hyrule Castle Town materialize on the horizon. Ever since Ganondorf's return, monster activity skyrocketed. Bokoblins, Deku Babas, Moblins, and even a few Darknuts appeared all over the road. What was worse, Link could only fight them with magic. While it was effective, it drained Link's stamina like nothing else. Given that it took four days for them to reach where they were at, Link figured that they had lost a day's worth of travel to the monsters.

"We're almost there," Link told his partners.

"Finally!" Amai exclaimed, glad to be done walking.

"What are you so profoundly excited over," Fi asked. "Link has stated his intention to find an alternative home for you as soon as we reach the castle town."

Amai's face went immediately downcast. "Party pooper," she mumbled.

"Fi!" Link said sternly. "We really need to work on your sensitivity."

"I apologize if I said anything inappropriate."

Link sighed in exasperation. On top of the monster fighting, he had also had to deal with his partners. Fi was downright annoying. She never knew when to keep her mouth shut, and she often said the worst things at the worst times. She literally had no brain-mouth filter.

Amai did nothing to help the situation. She was young and very sensitive. Her feelings hurt so easily that Link felt as if he were walking on eggshells around her. She was downcast a lot from Fi's poorly thought out comments. For someone who was supposed to be smart, Fi sure lacked common sense.

"Don't worry Amai," Link said, attempting to placate the still-down girl. "There are far more important things that I need to take care of before I can see about getting you a home."

Amai perked up a little at that. Link was glad that he had said the right thing…for once. Being around women was a pain, as he couldn't understand anything that went on in their heads. To make matters worse, neither of them were "normal" women.

The castle town continued to approach. Link and his crew passed through the gates un-harassed, despite the sunset hour. The town looked so normal. Despite being sheltered back at the forge, Link had been to the Castle Town enough times that he knew what it looked like normally.

Link envied the people that he noticed as he walked. They were blissfully unaware of the darkness that was fast approaching. He wished he could have that sense of bliss. He also wished that he could have a normal routine as they did. However, accepting the Master Sword and Triforce of Courage had forever changed his life, and he could never be normal again.

The gates to the castle courtyard were closed, unlike during the festival, and manned. Link approached one of the guards, intending to attempt to gain entrance to the castle.

"Who goes there?" came the predictable question.

"I am Link, wielder of the Master Sword and Triforce of Courage," Link told them, hoping that that would be enough.

Upon seeing the blue hilt over Link's right shoulder, and the Triforce tattoo that Link displayed, the guards opened the door without a second's hesitation. Link passed through, expecting that Fi and Amai would follow, but they were stopped by the guards.

Before there could be an argument, Link said, "They're with me."

The guards gave him a suspicious look, but let Amai and Fi pass through without any more trouble. Link strode through the spacious courtyard, heading towards the Royal Hall.

Link passed through the massive, red double-doors and moved down the red carpet towards the throne. The throne itself was empty. King Hilan was probably at a meeting, which didn't bode well for Link. King Hilan needed to know what happened as soon as possible.

There was, however, an attendant watching the throne. He was a thin man with a dignified posture, short, black hair, and a thin goatee. He wore a ridiculous frilly outfit with a large cap that had a white feather sticking out of it.

"May I help you, sir?" he asked as formally as possible.

"I need to speak to King Hilan," Link responded. "It's extremely urgent."

"Our King is currently in a meeting with the nobles. He cannot be disturbed for any reason. If you will be patient, he will be out in a few hours."

Link was getting frustrated now. "I can't wait a few hours! He needs to know what I have to say now! The safety of the entire kingdom is in jeopardy!"

"We cannot break protocol for any reason. It would go over badly with the nobles, who command much power within the government."

"You don't understand!" Link was yelling now. "If I don't warn the King of what has transpired, the nobles will cease to be of importance!"

The attendant refused to budge. Rather than respond to Link's uncivilized yelling, the man had gone silent.

"Darn it!" Link yelled, angry and frustrated all at once. "I'll find him myself!"

The attendant, realizing that there was nothing to deter this youth, finally acquiesced. "Fine then, I will tell the king that you are present and have urgent news. What he does is up to him." With that, the attendant walked away, dignified as ever.

If there were a chair nearby, Link would have sunken into it with a deep sigh. He wished that he had some experience in politics. However, his father had neglected that area. Though he had only had a taste, Link found that he definitely did not want to deal with politics in any way, shape, or form.

"Protocol is a real pain isn't it?" A voice called from one the passage to the right of the throne. Link snapped his attention to that passage and saw Zelda coming from it.

She was wearing a simple dress. The only thing that betrayed her as royalty was the purple color of the dress. Everything else was the picture of simplicity and commonness.

"Yes, it is," Link stated casually.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up," Amai stated. "You know the princess?" Her voice was full of amazement.

"Um…yes," Link responded.

"Why didn't you tell me? I've always wanted to meet the princess!"

"And who might you be?" Zelda asked kindly.

"I'm Amai, Link's friend."

"It's nice to meet you Amai." Zelda looked at Fi. "And who are you?"

"I am called Fi," the woman answered simply. "I am the former spirit of the Master Sword. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

Now it was Zelda's turn to look impressed. She looked as if she were about to ask what that meant when King Hilan walked into the throne room from the passage to the left of the throne. He was wearing a royal red coat, and a tall golden crown.

"I am here," the king stated. "What has happened?"

Link, rather than responding with words, removed the Master Sword from his back. He somberly untied the hilt and removed it, showing the clean break. Before more words could be said, Link gently removed the shards and placed them on the ground.

The king and Zelda bore an identical look of shock and horror. Like Link, they never thought that the Master Sword was capable of shattering.

"These are truly dark times," the king muttered. "How has this happened?"

"Ghirahim laid a trap and I blindly walked into it," Link answered simply.

"Explain," the king ordered, though not unkindly.

"It was Ghirahim's plan. He wanted you to send someone after him with the Master Sword. He needed to break it and extract the spirit of an ancient evil, which he called Demise. He used that spirit, the Triforce of Power, and a strange spell to revive the king of evil."

"Ganondorf has returned then?" the king asked simply.

Link nodded yes.

"Then the situation is far more complicated than I realized." There was a brief pause. "Tell me, did Ghirahim summon alternate versions of Ganondorf and extract their power?"

Link looked at the old king in shock. "How did you know that?"

"Because new people have appeared all over the kingdom. No one knows how they got here, and the accounts of where they came from are equally confusing. My meeting with the nobles was talking on how to resolve this issue. Now I understand."

"What did Ghirahim do?" Everyone was staring at the king with interest. The only one who had any guess as to what he would say next was Zelda, as she put the pieces together fairly quickly.

"Ghirahim connected our realm to that of at least two others, bringing the people of those realms to our own. Based on what you have told me, I am guessing that he did this to get the bodies of Ganondorfs that existed within those alternate realms."

There was a collective gasp as everyone realized the gravity of what was going on. Their world had been fundamentally changed forever. And, besides that, there was now an evil loose that was stronger than any prior to it.

"My king!" A voice yelled as the door to the throne room was thrown open. "You have to come see this!"

"What has happened?" the king asked the soldier who had barged in.

"We are being invaded!"

**A/N: Yeah, I know that this is a cliffhanger, but I am not sorry for it. The chapter needed to end here, as the next one is set to have an entirely different tone and a lot more action. I hope you all enjoyed it. As usual, please leave a review to let me know what you think.**


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